Money

There are a lot of places in the Megacity where you can have the perfect shopping experience - and in some you can even do the groceries and go shopping the latest clothes at once. For the latter category, have a look at our section on selected Malls in the Megacity. This section features stand-alone supermarkets, shopping centres, and stores which offer a wide range in goods as well as a great shopping experience.

As most other Megacities in the world, Metro Manila is unfortunately home to a high crime rate compared to the rest of the country. Most of the crimes committed in Manila are robbery and theft. Poverty and unequal distribution of wealth are the prime reasons behind most of the crimes.

Opening a bank account at a Philippine bank will get you a national debit/credit card that you can use for most of your transactions in the Megacity. Local debit or credit cards makes cashless shopping available and enables you to withdraw from any ATM anywhere in the country.

To cheque or not to cheque, that is the question. Cheques are very common in the Philippines. They are used to issue wages or to hand over as security when renting an apartment. Will you be needing an account for cheque payments during your stay in the Philippines?

Over-the-counter (OTC) payment collection services are often located in shopping malls, grocery stores, and sometimes the nearest street corner. You can settle most of your monthly bills and many other payments by dropping by these shops.

You can find ATMs of the different local (and some international) banks everywhere across the city. Most ATMs are situated inside malls, banks and on the outside walls of banks. The latter are accessible 24/7. Outside the Megacity, there are still ATMs in every town. If you plan to go to the deepest countryside or smaller village, though, you might not be able to find an ATM for a while.

Business Process Outsourcing (BPO) is big business in the Philippines. From back office work to entire services outsourced from around the world - Megacity Manila's BPO industry is thriving. This increases the presence of Megacitizens in Manila and creates a competitive advantage over other Megacities.

For Megacitizens, taxis are the main means of public transportation in Manila. You can see them at every corner of the city at every time of the day. Only problem: the more you need a cab, the less likely you will find one! During rush hour or when it is raining cats and dogs it will be difficult to get hold of a taxi.

Health Care in the Megacity is generally very good. Nurses and Doctors are well educated and a substantial amount of those educated in the country work abroad, in clinics in Europe, the United States and the Middle East. In comparison to other Southeast Asian countries, there is no need to leave the country for serious illnesses. If there is a need for a second opinion, there is still the opportunity to board a three-hour flight to Singapore.

The Megacity Manila Shopping Basket gives newcomers in the Philippines orientation on how much they will pay for local and imported food, beverages, and toiletries in Manila's stores. It also allows to track the price development in the country, as we update the list every month and provide the prices in pesos, US dollars, and euros.

Cash is the single most important way of paying your bills and carrying money around. Centavos come in 1, 5, 10, 25, 50 coins and Pesos come in 1, 5, 10 coins and 20, 50, 100, 200, 500 and 1000 bills. It is not that uncommon to pay even large sums in cash. Due to the comparatively low value of the highest bill (1000 Pesos are roughly 20 Euros or 22.50 US Dollar), you might easily end up carrying around a large bundle of bills.

South Korea's capital is a bustling Megacity of 10 million people, with a metropolitan area of more than 25 million. However, crowdedness, noise and traffic are not as bad as in many other cities, thanks to an excellent transport infrastructure and a high number of recreational areas and quiet temples. Korea and the Philippines have strong ties, with many Koreans coming to the Philippines to study English, work, or enjoy the beaches. 90,000 Koreans live in the Philippines, and 45,000 Filipinos live in South Korea, and there are many flight connections between Seoul and Manila.

"Money makes the world go round". Philippine money, like other currencies, started out as gold, but at the Money Museum in Manila, there is more to it than that. The museum in the Philippine Central Bank is dedicated to the evolution of the country’s currency, the Philippine peso.

One of the most inexpensive journeys out of the Philippines via airplane is to travel to the global city Kuala Lumpur. With a population of about 5.6 million and its southern location in East Asia, ‘KL’ is a cosmopolitan melting pot of cultures, religions and foods. The city with the two identical towers, namely the Petronas Twin Towers, is definitely worth a weekend-trip. KL has evolved from a British Colony Capital into one of Asia’s richest global cities today. The city is young, vibrant and enjoys a wide variety in music, art and events.

Thousands of Filipinos took to the streets on Monday, August 26, to protest against the misuse of tax money and for the abolition of the Priority Development Assistance Fund (PDAF), better known as 'Pork Barrel Fund'.

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Banks are regularly open from 9 am to at least 3 pm. Some, like the Bank of the Philippine Islands, operate until 6 pm. Banks outside the Megacity may close earlier. All banks are closed on national and on many special holidays.

Hong Kong is one of the top weekend get-away destinations for a lot of Megacitizens in the Philippines. This city of eight million people is a mere two-hour flight away and its efficient public transportation system leaves everyone in awe.

The name of the country's currency is Philippine Pesos. 100 Centavos equal 1 Peso. Most services and products and paid for by cash, followed by credit and debit cards issued by local banks, followed by international credit cards. Cheques are mostly used for salaries and rent.